Huntington Beach Secures Spot in Division I Baseball Championship

Huntington Beach is seizing its opportunity in the high school baseball playoffs after being ousted in the third round of the Southern Section Division I tournament last month. The Oilers accepted a spot in the Division I Southern California Regional and made the most of it, advancing to the championship game with an 11-3 victory over Corona on Thursday.

In the decisive match, Dane Cunningham launched a two-run homer, while Maxx Hopkins also contributed with a home run. Jared Grindlinger showcased his skills with a triple, a single, and two RBIs. Tanner Brown was impressive on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings of work.

Huntington Beach will compete against the winner of the Friday matchup between La Mirada and Cathedral Catholic in the championship game on Saturday.

In Division II, Newport Harbor is set to host Bakersfield Christian in the championship game on Saturday at 2 p.m. Meanwhile, Division III’s Kaiser secured a place in the finals after defeating Helix 7-5 and will face the victor of the Glendora-Westview game.

North Torrance triumphed over Central Valley Christian 6-0 in the Division IV semifinals, with Mason Matsumoto throwing six scoreless innings. They will meet the winner of the South El Monte vs. Francis Parker game. In Division V, Coastal Academy claimed the title by forfeit after a brawl led to a disqualification for Verdugo Hills and Roosevelt.

In softball action, La Habra edged out St. Paul 8-7 to reach the Division I final, where they will compete against Chula Vista Mater Dei. Riverside Prep advanced in Division II with a 4-3 win over Redwood and will host Saturday's final against the winner of Great Oak and Garces. Division V rivals Arroyo Valley and San Bernardino will face off at Arroyo Valley, following San Bernardino's 18-2 victory over South East.